Latch assembly for tail gates and the like



Aug. 16, 1960 1'. c. TOTARO ETAL 2,949,327

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR TAIL GATES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 7, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 1 fi I Q. 1 L l l l 6 4 g i i 4 I l 4\; f

.7 a 1 i 2 I g i t a i l a I i 9 *2, 5 39 l i 4| i i '40 I 38 lINVENTORS. THOMAS C.TOTARO 8 BY JOHN G. SAND aim .AITORNEYS 8" 1950 'r.c. TOTARO ETAL 2,949,327

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR TAIL GATES AND THE LIKE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug.7. 1957 l I I I I s I I I I": I I I I I I I I I I I I I- 4 IF Io I 5 asII II I7 11 37' I In I 33 5 /3 i ii .11; 29 (.g n Is I l' l |s\ FIG. 2

BY JOHN G SAND ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 "r. c. TOTARO ETAL 2,949,327

LATCH ASSEMBLY FR TAIL GATES AND THE LIKE FiledAug. 7. 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 3 THOMAS C. TOTARO 8 JOHN 6 BY 0% & W

ATTORNEYS 1960 'r. c. TOTARO ETAL 2,949,327

LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR TAIL GATES AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 7, 1957 4Sheets-Sheet 4 algae 2s 24 23 2| s| INVENTORS.

H MA C.TOTARO a g JQDHN G. SAND OMaJGmM ATTORNEYS,

United States Patent 6 LATCH ASSEMBLY FOR TAIL GATES AND THE LIKE ThomasC. Totaro, Marion, and John G. Sand, Galion, Ohio, assignors to HerculesGalion Products, Inc., Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware FiledAug. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 676,743 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-46) This inventionrelates to an improved latch assembly for closures on the order of dumpbody tail gates, which are usually more than s' le space boundaries inthat they partially support an enclosed load and thus require the use oflatching or locking means of particularly sturdy and reliableconstruction.

It is a principal object of the invention to provide a latch system forsuch a closure, of which a door in a garbage truck body is a morespecific example, wherein several locking members are utilized in spacedrelation and in such operative connection as to be actuatedsubstantially simultaneously for engagement with the closure at a numberof points about its periphery, the individual locking members andconnections thereof being of improved form and more than adequatelysatisfying the basic requirements of strength and durability.

Another object is to provide such a locking assembly including a commonoperating member for the several individual latches which is soconstructed and arranged as to be conveniently and easily actuated toset and release all the latches.

It is a further object of the invention to provide heavy duty latchmeans incorporating an automatic safety against inadvertent release ofthe same.

Another object is to provide a latch and remote actuator therefor in anassembly having a plurality of locking actions which make improperactuation of the mechanism impossible. An additional object of ourinvention is to provide a system of latches adapted to engage both thesides and the bottom of a closure or door which is hinged at the top,with the several latches being movable into and out of locking positionsubstantially in unison.

It is also an object to provide a latch assembly for a dump body tailgate or door hinged at the top in which latches are disposed andoperative at both the sides and bottom of the gate and a single handleat a convenient, removed location is actuatable to set and release allthe latches.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularlypointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexeddrawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of theinvention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the variousways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing the rear end portion of a vehicledump body having a top-hinged tail gate and equipped with latchmechanism in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of one-half of such body, the same beingsymmetrical about the vertical centerline, with the tail gate or doorpartially broken away;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of moved from the truck body;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational View, to an enlarged scale, illustrating insimplified form the manner in which the side and bottom latches moveinto and out of latching engagement with the tail gate or door;

Fig. 5 shows the operating handle mechanism of the assembly inelevation; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section of this handle mechanism as viewed from theplane of the line 66 in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the vehicle body shown in Figs.1 and 2 is a part, the rear end portion, of a conventional garbage truckbody having a top Wall 1, side walls 2, and bottom wall 3. A pluralityof reinforcing channels '4 extend across the top and down the sidewalls, with the latter being of downwardly increasing projection, asshown in Fig. 2, and one such outer band, in effect, being located atthe extreme rear end of the body, which is open. 7 v

A strip of suitable sealing material 5 is arranged to extend across thebottom of such end opening and up along the slightly converging edges ofthe side pieces 6, which are actually the rear faces of the end channels4, substantially to the top of the latter. The end opening is closed bya tail gate or door 7 hinged at points spaced across the top, as shownat 8, and of such shape and size as to conform to the outer boundary ofthe end framing pieces, overlying the seal strip 5 when in closedcondition. Reference numeral 9 designates a hand-hold bar on the doorand a channel-shaped cross member 10 extends along and just beneath theedge of the bottom wall of the body. The flanges 11 of such cross memberare directed inwardly and 'are received in slots provided for the samein the ends of the bottom longitudinal frame members 12.

An angle 13 is secured to the lower edge of the door across the width ofthe same and with one section projecting downwardly at the inner cornerfor clamping by bottom latch means to be described. The door is alsoprovided with angle pieces 14 projecting outwardly at its side marginsin the lower portions of the same, with these pieces arranged reverselywith respect to the bottom angle 13, whereby they open upwardly withtheir vertical sections likewise at the inner face of the door. Suchside pieces are also adapted to be engaged by latches, so that the sidesas well as the bottom of the door are locked by positive means. 7

Our new latch system comprises, first, a series of bottom clamps,designated generally at 15, carried by the vehicle body in spacedrelation adjacent and along the bottom edge of the tail gate or door 7.Each such device consists of two generally triangular vertical latchplates 16 in spaced parallel relation and having upwardly projectingears or dogs 17 at corresponding upper and outer corners. The two platesare pivoted on a horizontal pin 18 passing therethrough at theirlowermost corners and supported by straps 19 secured within the channelcross piece 10. As shown most clearly in Fig. 4 this cross piece isslotted at 20 so that the several pairs of latch plates can projecttherethrough, with the cars 17 thereof disposed to engage the bottomangle 13 of the door. If desired, a strap can be secured to bridge andthereby reinforce the spaced plates.

A connector 21 is pivoted between each pair of plates 16, at the innercorners of the same, on a pin 22, and such connector has a rearwardlyextending threaded stud 23 which is threaded into and locked by a jamnut 24 in the outer end of a generally L-shaped connecting link 25. Theseveral connecting links 25 are aranged to project upwardly at theirinner ends 26, and each such end is pivoted on a pin 27 held between twoshort and straight links 28 which are welded on a cross shaft 29.

our latch assembly re- It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the shaft 29extends substantially the full width of the vehicle body, the same beingrotatably supported by bushings 30 afiixed to frame members 31 securedlongitudinally between the rear cross piece it) and an inwardly spacedtransverse frame member 32. All of the bottom latch units are of thesame detailed construction and all are connected similarly to the shaft29 for simultaneous actuation on turning of such shaft. The shaft isoscillated through a link 33 welded thereon toward one side of thecenter of the bottom assembly, a yoke 34 pivoted at the free end of thislink, and a reach rod 35 which extends forwardly relative to the vehiclebody 50 operating mechanism which will be described herebe- Furtherlinks 36 are welded at the ends of the shaft 29, which are located atthe respective sides of the vehicle body, outwardly of the side walls 2,but not beyond the outer faces of the vertical channels 4 on such walls,as shown in Fig. 2. A generally vertical push rod 37 is pivoted on eachsuch end link 36 and is pivotally connected at its upper end, through ayoke connector 38, to the inner end of a generally horizontal side clamp39. Each side clamp is pivoted at 40 intermediate its ends between theend channel 4 at the particular side and an enclosing plate 41 havinginwardly bent top and bottom margins which space the same outwardly forreception of the clamp. At their free ends, clamps 39 are formed withdownwardly directed ears 42 adapted to engage over the angle pieces 14carried by the door at its respective sides. It will be clear that theseside clamps are also actuated by oscillation of the control shaft 29.

The clamping actions are most evident in Fig. 4, Wherein a side andbottom latch are shown in full line in their locked positions and indashed lines as moved to the disengaged or door-release condition. Withregard to this bottom clamp or latch, it will be seen that the L-shapedconnecting link 25 extends, in the set latch condition, proximatelybeneath and then upwardly above the shaft 29, so that the pivot 27 ofthe connection to the links 28 is above the shaft axis. Accordingly, anypush or pull on the latch plates 16 tending to open the same would havethe effect of moving the pivot connection 27 clockwise about the shaft,which is impossible since the generally horizontal portion of theconnecting link 25 would bear against the bottom of the shaft 29. Theshaft axis falls inside a line drawn between the pivots 22 and 27,whereby an over-center or toggle locking is provided.

When the reach rod 35 is moved to the rear, the shaft 29 is turned in acounter-clockwise direction to depress the connecting link 25 andthereby rock the latch plates 16 clockwise away from engagement with thebottom angle 13 of the door, to the position shown in the dashed lines.Such turning of the shaft also causes the end link 36 to move in acounter-clockwise direction to pull downwardly on the rod 37 and thuslift the side clamp 39 from the angle 14 at the door side and due to theovercenter condition of the bottom latch, the side clamp will actuallybe released first, while the bottom latch is being moved past center. Inview of the connection between the two side clamps 39 and the bottomclamps, through the common control shaft, the over-center locking of thelatter will also obviously resist improper lifting of the side clampsfrom their latch position.

In the illustrated embodiment of our invention, the reach rod 35 extendsbeneath the bottom 3 of the truck body forwardly to a predeterminedpoint intermediate the ends and it is there connected to the actuatingmechanism shown most clearly in Figs. 3, 5 and 6. Such mechanismcomprises a transverse shaft 43 rotatably supported at its inner end ina longitudinal frame member 44 at the region of the forward end of thereach rod and near its outer end, which is at the side of the truckbody, by a U-bolt 45 fastened, through springs 46, to another structuralmember 47 of the body and a vertical plate 48 fixed on such othermember. A connector link 49 is welded to the inner end of suchtransverse shaft and the reach rod has an end elbow 50 pivoted in thefree end of this link. A stop pad 51 projects from the member 44 intothe path of link 49 to limit the clockwise movement thereof. The outerend of the transverse shaft 43 is recessed to receive a plate 52, weldedtherein, and a handle 53 having spaced inner ears 54 at right angles issecured to the shaft plate 52 by means of a bolt 55 extending verticallythrough such ears and the plate. This connection permits the handle tobe swung inwardly beneath the truck body, as shown by the dashed handleoutline in Fig. 3, and We provide a spring catch to hold the handle insuch retracted position. This catch is a channel piece 56 disposed aboutthe frame member 47 with triangular parallel sides 57 extendingdownwardly into the path of the handle and its web bolted to the memberthrough a spring 58. As shown in Fig. 5, the side edges 59 of the catchwhich are engaged by the handle in moving the same inwardly beneath thebody are sloped to a lesser degree than the edges 60 over which thehandle must pass in being moved out from beneath the body. The latter ofcourse prevent the handle from accidentally being dislodged outwardly.

When the handle 53 is in its extended condition, it can obviously beswung in a vertical plane to turn the transverse shaft 43 and therebymove the reach rod 35 either forwardly or to the rear to make and breakthe several latches of the assembly. The link connection between thereach rod and the transverse shaft is offset so that when the handle isin the latching position, shown in Fig. 5, the pivot 50 is above theaxis of shaft 43 and must be swung downwardly to the latch releaseposition, whereby there is over-center locking of the mechanism. Asnoted above, moving the handle inwardly past the spring catch 56provides a further lock, so that there is actual- 1y a triple lock ofthe bottom and side latches, respectively, in the bottom latchconstruction, in the handle mechanism and in the spring catch.

It will accordingly be seen that our new latch system is very definitelyprotected against inadvent actuation, that thesecuring of the door orclosure is very firm, whereby providing liquid-tight sealing desirablefor example in the case of a garbage truck body is no problem, and thatthe mechanism is convenient and easy to operate. The construction isstrong and durable and has been used successfully in a refuse truck bodyin which the material collected is packed by power means against thetail gate.

While we have shown a manual operating member for the multiple latches,a power member, such as a fluid cylinder, can obviously be substituted.It would likewise be a simple matter to provide more than one clamp ateach side, if desired, by extending the linkage in appropriate manner.The system is further obviously adaptable to closures of ditferenttypes, having utility in any installation for securing a gate or doorwithout especial regard to the purpose served thereby.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed,change being made as regards the details described, provided thefeatures stated in any of the following claims or the equivalent of suchbe employed.

We, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention:

1. In combination with a dump body having a tophinged rear door, a latchsystem comprising a series of pivotal bottom latches positioned toengage and clamp the lower margin of the door at spaced pointsthereacross, a common rock shaft for actuating said bottom latchesarranged to extend transversely of the body, toggle link meansconnecting each such bottom latch to said rock shaft, at least oneadditional latch disposed to engage the door at each side thereof, meansconnecting each side latch to said rock shaft likewise for actuation bythe same, an operating member secured to the shaft to extend forwardlytherefrom relative to the dump body and to oscillate the shaft uponreciprocation, means including a toggle link for reciprocating saidoperating member, a handle located at a side of the dump body connectedto said last-named means thereby to operate the latch system, saidhandle being pivotally connected for movement to a position beneath thebody when not in use, and yieldable retainer means engaged with thehandle in such position to preclude inadvertent dislodgement therefrom.

2. In combination with a dump body having a tophinged rear door, a latchsystem comprising a series of pivotal bottom latches positioned toengage and clamp the lower margin of the door at spaced pointsthereacross, a common rock shaft for actuating said bottom latchesarranged to extend transversely of the body, toggle link meansconnecting each such bottom latch to said rock shaft, at least oneadditional latch disposed to engage the door at each side thereof, meansconnecting each side latch to said rock shaft likewise for actuation bythe same, an operating member secured to the shaft to extend forwardlytherefrom relative to the dump body and to oscillate the shaft uponreciprocation, means including a toggle link for reciprocating saidoperating member, and a manual actuator located at a side of the dumpbody connected to said last-named means thereby to operate the latchsystem.

3. In combination with a dump body having a tophinged rear door, a latchsystem comprising a series of pivotal bottom latches positioned toengage and clamp the lower margin of the door at spaced pointsthereacross, a rock shaft arranged to extend transversely of the body,toggle means connecting said bottom latches commonly to said shaft foractuation thereby, at least one additional latch disposed to engage thedoor at a side thereof, means connecting such side latch to said rockshaft likewise for actuation by the same, an operating member secured tothe shaft to extend forwardly therefrom relative to the dump body and tooscillate the shaft upon reciprocation, means for reciprocating saidoperating member thus to operate the latches including a manual actuatorlocated at a side of the dump body, and toggle link means connectingsaid actuator to the reciprocable operating memher.

4. In combination with a dump body having a tophinged rear door, a latchsystem comprising a series of pivotal bottom latches positioned toengage and clamp the lower margin of the door at spaced pointsthereacross, a rock shaft arranged to extend transversely of the body,toggle link means connecting said bottom latches commonly to said shaftfor actuation thereby, at least one additional latch disposed to engagethe door at a side thereof, means connecting such side latch to saidrock shaft likewise for actuation by the same, an operating membersecured to the shaft to extend forwardly therefrom relative to the dumpbody and to oscillate the shaft upon reciprocation, and means forreciprocating said operating member thus to operate the latchesincluding a manual actuator located at a side of the dump body.

5. Latch mechanism comprising a clamp, a pivot on which said clamp ismounted, a shaft spaced from the clamp and extending similarly as saidpivot, a rigid member of general L-shape pivotally connected adjacentone end to the clamp at a point spaced from such pivot mounting thereof,said member extending from the clamp in the locked condition of thelatch mechanism partially around said shaft, a link fixed on the shaftand pivotally connected to said member adjacent the other end of thesame, the axis of the shaft being within the area enclosed by the memberbetween its respective points of connection to the clamp and link and aline drawn from one such point of member connection to the other in thelocked condition of the mechanism, and control means for rocking theshaft to move said member from its such locked position clear of theshaft thereby to release the latch mechanism.

'6. Latch mechanism comprising a clamp, a pivot on which said clamp ismounted, a shaft spaced from the clamp and extending similarly as saidpivot, a rigid member ofgeneral L-shape pivotally connected adjacent oneend to the clamp at a point spaced from such pivot mounting thereof,said member extending from the clamp in the locked condition of thelatch mechanism partially around said shaft, a link fixed on the shaftand pivotally connected to said member adjacent the other end of thesame, the axis of the shaft being within the area enclosed by the memberbetween its respective points of connection to the clamp and link and aline drawn from one such point of member connection to the other in thelocked condition of the mechanism, an actuator connected to said shaftfor turning the latter to move said member clear of the same thereby torelease the latch mechanism, an operating lever for said actuator, and atoggle link connection between said actuator and operating lever.

7. Latch mechanism comprising a first pivotally mounted clamp, a shaftspaced from said first clamp and extending similarly as the pivotthereof, a rigid member of general L-shape pivotally connected adjacentone end to the first clamp and extending in the locked condition of thelatch mechanism partially around the shaft, a link fixed on the shaftand pivotally connected to said member adjacent the other end of thesame, a second pivotally mounted clamp, a connection between said secondclamp and said member for actuating the former by movement of thelatter, the axis of the shaft being within the area enclosed by themember between its respective points of connection to the first clampand link and a line drawn from one such point of member connection tothe other in such locked condition, and control means for rocking theshaft to move said member from its such locked condition clear of theshaft and actuate both the first and second clamps.

8. Latch mechanism comprising a first pivotally mounted clamp, a shaftspaced from said first clamp and extending similarly as the pivotthereof, a rigid member of general L-shape pivotally connected adjacentone end to the first clamp and extending in the locked condition of thelatch mechanism partially around the shaft, a link fixed on the shaftand pivotally connected to said member adjacent the other end of thesame, a second pivotally mounted clamp, a connection between said secondclamp and said member for actuating the former by movement of thelatter, an actuator connected to said shaft for turning the latter tomove said member clear of the shaft and actuate both the first andsecond clamps, an operating lever for said actuator, and a toggle linkconnection between said actuator and operating lever.

9. A latch system for a top-hinged door, comprising a first upwardlydirected pivotal latch adapted to engage the bottom margin of such door,a second downwardly directed pivotal latch spaced above said first latchand adapted to engage a keeper provided at a side of the door, a shaftspaced from and extending transversely with respect to such latches, anoperating member having generally horizontal and generally verticalportions, a toggle link secured to said shaft and pivotally connected tothe generally vertical portion of said operating member, the generallyhorizontal portion of the member being pivotally connected to the firstlatch, an actuator element pivotally connected between said second latchand the generally vertical portion of the operating member, and meansfor turning said shaft to move the operating member between locked andreleased positions of adjustment, the operating member in such lockedposition being disposed partially around the shaft with the link andactuator element connections thereto above the shaft axis, said memberbeing moved downwardly and in the direction of the first latch throughits toggle link connection with the shaft, with the second latch firstactuated and then the first latch as the member moves in such manner toits released position.

(References on following page) 7 References Cited in the file of thispatent 1,63 5,163

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,170,004 Shadbolt Feb. 1, 1916 1,332,193 AndersonMar. 2, 1920 1,376,733 Sanderson May 3, 1921 458,060

8 Allison July 12, 1922 Tabatt Apr. 14, 1931 Gland-Mantle May 17, 1193FOREIGN PATENTS

